Cihvavy  of  Che  t:heological  ^tminary 

PRINXETON    .    NEW  JERSEY 
PRESENTED  BY 


A.    G.    Cameron,    Ph.D. 
5.18.11 


^:)61 


»0 

No.  6. 

THE    CHARACTER   MJ)   DUTY 

OF   A 

CHRISTIAI    PREACHER. 

BY   DAVID  "'bOSTWICK,    A.M.* 

**  Fob  we  preach  not  ourselves,  but  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord." — 3  Cob.  4 :  Ri    . 


Were  I  to  give  a  brief  and  stimmaiy  description  of 
man's  original  apostasy  in  few  words,  I  would  choose  to 
say,  that  it  was  a  departing  from  God,  the  author  and 
fountain  of  blessedness,  and  retiring  into  himself  as  his 
last  and  ultimate  end :  and  that  the  sum  of  his  moral  de- 
pravity, consists  in  a  habitual  disposition  to  treat  him- 
self in  the  same  manner  that  he  ought  to  treat  the  God 
of  Heaven ;  that  is,  to  love  himself  supremely,  and  seek 
Jiimself  ultimately  and  finally,  and  set  up  himself  in  one 
shape  or  another,  as  the  grand  center  to  which  aU  the  lines 
of  his  busy  thoughts,  anxious  cares,  and  subtUe  projects, 
bend,  and  in  which  they  terminate. 

While  he  continued  in  his  original  state  of  moral  recti- 
tude, that  God  who  was  the  author  of  his  being  was  his 
beginning  and  end,  his  interest  and  attraction,  his  desire 
and  dehght,  and,  in  a  word,  his  aU.  But  when  sin  took 
place  in  his  heart,  it  warped  the  unhappy  creature  from 
his  God  to  himself;  insomuch  that  self  is  now  become  aU 
to  corrupt  and  depraved  nature,  even  as  God  was  once 

*  Preached  at  Philadelphia  before  the  Synod  of  New-York,  May 
26,  1758. 

1 


9-H 


2  CHARACTER   AND   DUTY   OP   A   PREACHER. 

all  to  nature  uncorrupted  and  undepraved.  Selfishness 
is  therefore  now  become  the  most  active  and  reignmg 
principle  in  fallen  nature,  and,  like  the  first  wheel  in  a 
grand  machine,  sets  the  whole  world  in  motion.  For  if 
we  survey  the  conduct  of  busy  mortals,  in  the  various 
ranks  and  degrees,  characters  and  circumstances  of  life, 
we  shall  easily  perceive  that  self  is  the  idol  they  are 
naturally  disposed  to  worship,  and  selfishness  the  grand 
interest  to  which  they  are  by  nature  entirely  devoted. 

We  find  om'selves  in  the  midst  of  an  active,  busy  world, 
the  inhabitants  of  which  are  ever  engaged  in  some  vig- 
orous i^ursuits.  But  what  are  they  pursuing  ?  "What  is 
the  governing  principle  of  their  actions  ?  And  what  the 
center  to  which  they  bend,  and  in  which  they  terminate  ? 
Ai'e  they  laboring  for  God  as  their  ultimate  end,  or  for 
themselves  ?  When  the  merchant  compasseth  sea  and 
land,  in  search  of  a  worldly  treasure,  does  he  this  for  God, 
or  for  himself?  When  the  soldier  boldly  enters  the  field 
of  battle,  faces  death  in  its  most  hideous  forms,  and  opens 
his  bosom  to  the  most  pregnant  dangers,  does  he  this  for 
the  honor  of  God,  or  for  the  honor  of  himself?  When 
the  mdustrious  tradesman  rises  early,  and  sits  up  late, 
and  eats  the  bread  of  carefulness,  and  fills  up  his  s"wift 
succeeding  hours  with  the  most  painful  and  assiduous 
labor,  does  he  labor  ultimately  for  God,  or  for  himself? 
When  men  of  superior  rank,  and  greater  affluence,  de- 
vote their  wasting  moments  to  the  fashionable  diver- 
sions and  pleasurable  entertainments  of  life,  do  they  this 
to  please  and  glorify  God,  or  to  please  and  gratify  self? 
In  a  word,  what  is  it  in  general  that  men  five  for,  and  what 
are  they  doing  in  the  world  ?  What  are  their  thoughts 
spent,  their  words  spoken,  their  hands  employed,  and 
their  time  improved  for  ?  Is  it  for  God,  or  themselves  ? 
Alas,  how  easy  it  is  to  see  the  awful  prevalence  of  this 
corrupt  and  accursed  principle  !  It  is  self  that  rules 
kingdoms,  that  governs  families,  drives  on  their  trade, 
manages  their  worldly  business ;  that  chooses  even  their 
rehgion,  and  influences  their  whole  conduct ;  that  Hes  at 
the  root  and  bottom  of  all  then.'  actual  sins,  makes  them 
ungodly,  and  keeps  them  ungodly,  and  is  their  very  un- 
godliness itself 


CHAUACTER   AND    DUTY    OF.  A    PREACHER.  3 

And,  oh !  that  it  miglit  be  said,  with  undoubted  truth, 
that  notwithstandmg  the  general  prevalence  of  this  de- 
testable principle,  among  the  various  ranks  and  orders 
of  men,  there  is  at  least  one  order  exempt  from  the  gene- 
ral charge  ;  and  that  none  who  sustain  the  sacred  cha- 
racter, are  influenced  by  mercenary  j^rinciples,  or  selfish 
motives ;  but  that  each  individual  could  safely  adopt  the 
language  of  the  apostle,  in  behalf  of  himself  and  brethren : 
"  We  preach  not  ourselves,  but  Chi-ist  Jesus  the  Lord." 

In  the  preceding  chapter,  the  apostle  had  been  magni- 
fpng  his  ofiice,  on  account  of  the  excellency  and  glory  of 
that  Gospel,  which  was  the  subject  of  it :  and  in  this,  he 
vindicates  the  ministry  of  the  apostles  and  Gospel  minis- 
ters, from  the  unjust  accusations  of  false  and  Judaizing 
teachers,  who  had  charged  them  with  walking  in  crafti- 
ness, and  handling  the  word  of  the  Lord  deceitfully.  He 
avouches  their  sincerity,  that  they  renounced  the  hidden 
things  of  dishonesty  ;  and  as  a  proof  of  their  integrity, 
he  assures  them,  that  their  business  was  to  preach  Christ, 
and  not  themselves.  "  We  preach  not  ourselves,  says  he, 
and  therefore  are  not  a  set  of  designing  men,  as  our  ac- 
cusers would  insinuate ;  self  is  neither  the  matter,  nor  the 
end  of  our  preaching  ;  we  neither  teach  om'  own  notions, 
passions,  or  prejudices,  for  the  word  of  God,  nor  do  we 
seek  ourselves,  or  the  advancement  of  our  secular  interest 
and  glory:  but  we  preach  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  and 
endeavor  to  make  him  known  to  the  world  in  each  of 
these  amiable  characters,  as  Messiah,  the  Christ  of  God, 
^s  Jesus,  the  Saviour  of  men,  and  as  Lord  and  King  in 
his  Church ;  and  to  advance  the  interest  of  his  glorious 
kingdom  among  men." 

From  these  words  I  shall  attempt  to  show  : 
I.    What  that  selfishness  is  which  the  apostle  here  dis- 
claims ;  or,  when  ministers  may  be  said  to  preach  them- 
selves. 
IL  I  shall  consider  some  of  the  operations  of  that  selfish 
principle,  in  those  particular  instances  that  tend  to  dis- 
cover its  reigning  dommion.     And  then, 
in.  Show  what  it  is  to  preach  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord. 
And  lastly,  improve  the  whole. 
Let  us  then  inquire, 


4        CHAKACTER  AND  DUTY  OF  A  PKEACHJER. 

I.  What  that  selfishness  is  which  the  apostle  here  dis- 
claims, etc.  And  to  set  this  in  a  proj^er  light,  and  pre- 
vent mistakes,  I  must  observe  negatively.  1st,  It  is  not 
that  regular  self-love  that  induces  ministers  to  zeal  and 
faithfulness  in  the  discharge  of  their  sacred  trust,  from 
the  consideration  of  future  rewards  and  punishments. 
There  is  a  self-love  implanted  in  human  nature  that  is 
consistent  with  complete  rectitude,  and  therefore  is  not 
the  eJBfect  of  our  moral  depravity.  This  Adam  had  in  his 
state  of  perfect  innocence,  or  else  the  promises  of  re- 
Avards  would  have  been  no  inducement  to  obedience,  nor 
would  the  severest  threatenings  have  deterred  him,  in 
any  measure,  from  disobedience.  It  is  not,  therefore,  a 
criminal  selfishness,  for  ministers  to  have  a  suitable  re- 
gard to  then-  own  future  and  everlasting  interest,  and  to 
be  influenced  to  diligence  and  industry,  in  theii*  great  im- 
portant work,  by  motives  drawn  from  those  future  and 
eternal  realities.  It  was  doubtless  agreeable  to  the  God 
of  heaven,  that  Ezekiel  the  prophet  should  be  influenced  to 
faithfulness  in  giving  warning,  from  that  awful  considera- 
tion, that  the  "blood  of  those  that  perished  should  othei*- 
wise  be  requu-ed  at  his  hand."  And  when  the  apostle 
urged  Timothy  to  "  take  heed  to  himself  and  his  doc- 
trine, and  continue  in  them,"  he  would  have  him  in- 
fluenced by  these  considerations,  that  he  "  should  save 
himself,  and  them  that  heard  him."  Nor  was  even  St. 
Paul  entirely  above  the  mfluence  of  this  motive,  when  he 
gave  this  reason,  why  "  he  kept  his  body  under  subjec- 
tion ;  lest,  when  he  had  preached  to  others,  himself 
should  be  a  cast-away."  It  was  not  an  unreasonable 
selfishness  in  the  prophet  Isaiah  to  take  encouragement 
under  aU  his  complaints,  and  be  animated  in  his  work, 
from  the  consideration  that  "though  Israel  was  not 
gathered,  yet  he  should  be  glorious  in  the  eyes  of  the 
xiord." 

2dly,  This  disclaiming  ourselves  does  not  imply  a 
total  disregard  to  our  reputation  and  character  among 
men;  for  on  this  the  success  of  our  ministry,  and  conse- 
quently the  advancement  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom, 
may,  in  some  measure,  depend.  If  the  character  of  a 
Gospel  minister  is  stained  with  false  and  ill-natured  asper- 


CHARACTEK    AND    DUTY    OF    A    PBEACHEK.  0 

sions,  this  tends  to  mar  his  influence,  and  consequently  his 
usefulness.  It  is  therefore  noways  inconsistent  with  a 
Gospel  self-denial,  to  seek  a  vindication  of  himself  and 
his  abused  reputation.  The  apostle  himself  does  so,  in 
this  and  his  other  epistles ;  and  says,  no  man  shall  stop 
him  in  tliis  boasting.  It  ever  becomes  the  ministers  of 
Christ  to  have  a  tender  regard  to  then-  reputation  and 
character,  as  subservient  to  the  great  ends  of  their  min- 
istry, and  m  which  the  honor  of  Christ,  and  the  interest 
of  religion,  is  nearly  concerned.  It  becomes  a  bishop  to 
be  blameless,  and  an  officer  in  the  Church  of  God  to  be 
of  good  report;  yea,  and  to  maintain  the  authority  of  his 
sacred  character,  "  and  let  no  man  despise  him."  Indeed, 
if  our  reputation  among  men  of  carnal  corrupt  minds 
suffers  for  our  faithfulness  iu  the  discharge  of  our  sacred 
trust,  and  "  men  speak  all  manner  of  evil  against  us  falsely 
for  Christ's  sake,  (which  is  not  at  all  uncommon,)  in  this 
case,  our  honor,  interest,  and  reputation,  and  even  life 
itself,  is  to  be  given  up,  and  made  a  willing  sacrifice  to 
the  honor  and  interest  of  Jesus  Christ ;  "  not  counting 
our  own  life  (much  less  our  name  and  reputation)  deai', 
that  we  may  finish  our  course,  and  the  ministry  we  have 
received  of  the  Lord  Jesus." 

But,  secondly,  and  positively,  the  selfishness  here  dis- 
claimed is,  in  general,  that  which  stands  in  direct  opposi- 
tion to  the  honor  of  God,  and  the  interest  of  Jesus  Christ. 
That  sets  up  self  in  the  room  and  place  of  God,  in  our  es- 
timation, affections,  intentions  and  pursuits;  and  dis- 
poses us  to  love  and  value  ourselves  in  the  same  manner 
as  we  ought  to  love  and  value  the  God  of  heaven  ;  to  pre- 
fer our  honor  to  his  honor,  and  our  interest  to  the  interest 
of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  in  a  word,  to  regard  ourselves  su- 
premely, and  seek  ourselves  ultimately  and  finally,  and  to 
be  influenced  inordinately,  in  one  shape  or  other,  by  mer- 
cenary views,  and  selfish  motives  in  all  we  do.  It  is,  there- 
fore, nothing  less,  on  the  whole,  than  a  dii'ect  contending 
with  the  Go^d  of  heaven,  and  maintaining  a  dispute  with 
him  who  shall  be  most  loved  and  regarded  by  us,  he  or 
we,  and  whose  honor  and  interest  shall  be  primarily  and 
ultimately  pursued,  his  or  our  own. 

But  more  particularly,  this  selfishness  in  public  preach- 


6  CHAKACTEE    AND    OUTY    OF    A    I'KEACHER. 

iug  may  be  considered  both  materially  and  formally ;  or 
as  it  respects  the  subject  matter,  and  the  formal  manner, 
of  our  preaching. 

1st,  Then,  ministers  may  be  said  to  preach  themselves, 
when  the  matter  of  their  public  preaching  is  such  that  it 
tends  rather  to  promote  self-honor  and  self-interest  than 
the  honor  of  God,  and  the  interest  of  Jesus  Christ.  When 
the  substance  of  their  sermons  is  only  "the  enticing  words 
of  man's  wisdom,  calculated  rather  to  gratify  men's  curi- 
osity with  pleasing  si^eculations,  than  to  pierce  their 
hearts  with  pungent  convictions ;  and  has  a  greater  ten- 
dency to  please  their  fancies  than  to  convert  and  save 
their  souls.  When,  in  the  matter  of  their  preaching,  they 
conform  to  men's  vitiated  taste  and  corrupt  humors,  and 
rather  soothe  and  flatter  than  strive  to  awaken  and 
alarm  their  consciences  ;  endeavoring  rather  to  Avin  them 
to  themselves,  and  gain  them  over  to  their  own  self-in- 
terest, than  to  win  them  to  Christ  and  convert  them  to 
God.  In  a  word,  we  are  awfully  guilty  of  this  criminal 
selfishness  when  our  sermons  have  rather  a  tendency,  in 
their  matter  and  composition  to  commend  ourselves  than 
to  commend  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  to  beget  in  the 
corrupt  hearts  of  our  hearers  an  esteem  of  our  persons, 
gifts,  and  abilities,  rather  than  of  the  person,  glory,  and 
offices  of  the  great  Redeemer,  the  ever  adorable  God- 
Man,  Jesus  Christ. 

2dly,  This  selfislmess  respects  the  form  as  well  as  the 
matter  of  our  preaching,  that  is,  the  governing  principle 
from  which  we  act  in  our  public  ministry,  and  the  ulti- 
mate end  we  have  in  view.  And  this  is  doubtless  the 
principal  thing  here  mtended  ;  for  be  the  matter  of  our 
preaching  ever  so  good,  yet  self  may  be  the  root  and 
bottom  of  it  all,  and  the  object  of  our  principal  aim. 
Nothing  is  more  evident  than  that  we  may  do  the  work 
of  God,  and  that  Avhich  is  really  so,  as  to  the  matter  or 
thing  done  ;  and  yet  not  do  it  for  God,  as  to  the  formal 
manner,  but  rather  for  ourselves.  Tlius  Jehu  did  the 
work  of  the  Lord  when  he  executed  the  vengeance  of 
Jehovah  on  the  house  and  fimily  of  "sHcked  Ahab ;  and 
when  he  broke  down  the  images  of  Baal,  and  restored 
Israel  from  idolatry  ;  and  yet  he  did  it  not  for  God,  but 


CHAKACTKK    AND    IiLXY    OF    A   PREACHER.  7 

for  himself,  as  appears  by  his  proud  boast,  "  come  see  my 
zeal  for  the  Lord  of  Hosts," 

It  is  not  at  all  inconsistent  to  say,  that  ministers  may 
calculate  their  sermons,  both  as  a  matter,  method,  and 
manner  of  deHvery,  so  as  to  have  an  aptitude  and  ten- 
dency to  answer  the  great  ends  of  preaching,  and  yet 
may  preach  themselves,  as  to  the  principle  from  which 
they  act,  and  the  ultimate  end  they  have  in  view.  Nor 
is  it  at  all  to  be  wondered  at,  if  in  a  time  when  the  most 
zealous,  lively,  and  practical  preaching,  the  most  earnest 
addresses  to  the  heart  and  conscience  are  in  vogue,  and 
tend  most  to  recommend  the  preacher,  and  promote  his 
reputation,  that  mere  selfish  principles  should  induce  men 
to  attempt  these,  and  even  strive  to  excel  therein.  So 
that  though  we  preach  ever  so  well,  as  to  the  matter  and 
method  of  our  sermons,  and  with  ever  so  much  apparent 
zeal  and  fervor,  in  the  delivery  of  them,  yet  if  we  fail  as 
to  the  formal  manner,  and  aim  chiefly  and  ultimately  at 
ourselves,  our  honor,  interest,  and  reputation,  we  are 
found  guilty  of  that  crumnal  selfishness  which  the  apos- 
tle disclaims  ;  and  are  making  idols  of  ourselves  by  treat- 
ing ourselves  in  the  maimer  we  ought  to  treat  the  great 
God  of  heaven  and  earth.  This  is  the  selfishness  here  dis- 
claimed, and  this  it  is  for  men  to  preach  themselves.    I  am 

II.  To  consider  some  of  the  operations  of  this  corrupt 
prmciple,  in  those  particular  instances  that  tend  to  dis- 
cover its  reigning  dominion.  In  every  imsanctified  heart, 
self  in  one  shape  or  other  is  ever  uppermost,  and  has  an 
entire  ascendancy  and  governing  influence  in  every  thing 
they  do.  When,  therefore,  men  of  this  character  take 
upon  them  the  office  of  the  Gospel-ministry,  self  must  be 
their  grand  motive,  and  their  principal  inducement.  For, 
though  a  faithful  discharge  of  this  important  trust  requires 
more  self-denial  that  any  employment  under  the  sun,  yet 
there  are  many  things  in  the  sacred  office  that  may  be 
alluring  baits  to  men  of  corrupt  and  selfish  minds.  A 
tolerable  maintenance,  or  comibrtable  subsistence  in  the 
world,  may  be  an  inducement  to  such  as  know  not  better 
how  to  provide  for  themselves ;  who,  like  the  unjust 
steward,  are  unwilling  to  dig  and  ashamed  to  beg,  and 
therefore  choose  this  rather  than  a  meaner  employment. 


8        CHARACTER  AND  DUTY  OF  A  PREACHER. 

Thus,  in  the  degenerate  times  of  the  Church  of  old,  men 
would  "  crouch  for  a  piece  of  silver,  and  say,  Put  me,  I 
pray  thee,  into  the  priest's  office,  that  I  may  eat  a  piece 
of  bread."  And  hence  that  bitter  complaint,  that  "  the 
priests  taught  for  hire,  and  the  prophets  divined  for 
money  ;"  and  on  this  account  they  Avere  called  "  greedy 
dogs  that  could  never  have  enough,  and  shepherds  that 
did  not  understand,  looking  eveiy  one  for  his  gain  from 
his  quarter."  Let  none  understand  me  as  though  I  in- 
sinuated, that  ministers  have  not  a  right  to  insist  on  a 
sufficient  maintenance  and  an  honorable  support ;  for 
whatever  a  cai-nal  selfish  world  may  imagine,  it  will  be 
found  true  at  last,  that  God  (and  not  man)  "  hath  or- 
dained that  ■  they  who  preach  the  Gospel  should  live  of 
the  Gospel."  Nor  do  I  in  the  least  doubt,  but  the  too 
general  neglect  of  this  duty  among  people  to  their  min- 
isters, is  one  of  the  crymg  and  God-provoking  sins  of  the 
I^resent  day.  (See  Mai.  3  :  8,  9,  10.)  What  I  am  provmg 
is,  that  self,  in  its  reigning  dominion,  may  influence  men 
to  undertake  the  sacred  employment  with  such  sordid 
views.  And  this  is  necessarily  supposed,  in  the  apostle's 
frequent  exhortations  to  ministers,  "  not  to  be  greedy  of 
filthy  lucre,  nor  be  given  to  filthy  lucre,  nor  teach  things 
for  filthy  lucre's  sake."  The  inducement  of  the  apostle 
himself  (as  of  every  other  faithful  minister)  was  vastly 
diflTerent.  A  necessity,  says  he  :  "  is  laid  upon  me,  and 
woe  is  me  if  I  preach  not  the  Gospel,"  And  he  coidd  say, 
with  the  utmost  sincerity  to  the  Corinthian  Church,  "  I 
seek  not  your's,  but  you," 

Again,  a  life  of  study,  and  an  opportunity  to  frirnish 
the  mind  with  the  various  improvements  of  human  science, 
may  be  an  inducement  to  those  who  have  a  turn  for  specu- 
lation, and  would  be  willing  to  shine  and  make  some 
figure  in  literature,  from  mere  selfish  principles  to  under- 
take the  ministry.  And,  would  you  believe  it,  sirs? 
The  supposed  ease  and  indolence  of  a  minister's  life,  by 
those  who  know  nothing  of  the  many  cares,  fatigues, 
and  perplexities  of  it,  may  possibly  induce  a  selfish  man, 
who  is  willing  to  favor  the  flesh,  to  enter  upon  it,  Nor 
is  it  at  all  unlikely  that  the  reverence  and  respect  shown 
to  the  sacred  character  among  men  may  influence  those 


CHARACTER   A2JD    DUTY    OF    A    PREACHER.  0 

who  are  chiefly  seeking  themselves.  'Tis  agreeable  to  a 
proud,  selfish  mortal  to  be  looked  upon  and  res^Dected  as 
the  leader  and  guide  of  the  people,  and  to  have  others 
dependent  on  him,  and  "  receive  the  law  at  his  mouth." 

NoAV,  when  such  alluring  baits  as  these  are  the  princi- 
pal mducements  to  the  ministry,  the  reigning  dominion 
of  a  selfish  principal  is  exceedingly  evident.  And  as  these 
undertake  the  sacred  employment  for  themselves,  and  not 
for  God,  so  they  will  ever  "  preach  themselves,  and  not 
Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,"  For  the  same  principle,  while 
uppermost  in  their  hearts,  will  attend  and  govern  them 
ia  every  branch  of  their  ministerial  conduct.  It  will  go 
with  them  into  then-  j)ri^-ate  studies,  and  there  wiU  choose 
their  subject,  form  and  methodize  their  sermons,  and 
oftentimes  make  them  more  attentive  to  mere  words  and 
ornaments  than  to  the  sacred  truths  of  God.  And  hence, 
instead  of  plain  and  serious  addresses,  that  might  tend  to 
melt  and  change  hard  and  unchanged  hearts,  they  will 
abound  with  trifling  speculations,  set  ofl'  with  glittering 
toys,  with  figures  of  rhetoric,  and  arts  of  elocution.  Or 
instead  of  instructing  tlieu*  people  in  the  great  things 
that  concern  their  everlasting  welfare,  they  go  beyond 
tlieir  capacity,  and  teach  them  nothing  but  that  they  are 
able  to  speak  unprofitably  and  unintelligibly.  Self  will 
often  dispose  them  to  take  oif  the  edge,  and  dull  the  life 
of  their  teachings,  under  a  pretence  of  filing  oif  the 
roughness,  and  smoothing  the  diction.  And  if  a  plain 
and  cutting  passage  occurs,  it  will  cast  it  away,  as  too 
rustical  and  ungrateful.  Thus  in  their  preparations  for 
public  service,  instead  of  consulting  seriously,  "  AVhat 
shall  I  say,  and  how  shall  I  say  it,  so  as  best  to  please 
and  glorify  God,  and  do  good  to  the  souls  of  men,"  self 
will  make  them  consult,  "What  shall  I  say,  and  how 
shall  I  deliver  it,  so  as  to  be  thought  an  excellent  preach- 
er, and  to  be  admired  and  applauded  by  all  that  hear  me." 

And  when  self  has  done  its  work  in  their  study,  and 
made  their  sermon,  it  will  attend  them  even  to  the  pul- 
pit, and  there  it  wfll  form  their  very  countenance  and 
gesture,  and  modulate  their  voice,  and  animate  their 
delivery,  and  put  the  very  accent  and  emphasis  upon 
their  words  and  syllables  that  all  may  be  calculated  to 

1* 


dSSiky 


10  OHAKACXKIi   AND    l^UXY    OK    A    PKKACHER. 

please  rather  than  profit,  and  to  recommend  themselves 
and  secure  a  vain  applause,  rather  than  recommend  Jesus 
Christ,  and  secure  his  interest  in  the  hearts  of  men. 

And  when  the  sermon  is  ended,  self  goes  home  "with 
the  preacher,  and  makes  him  much  more  solicitous  to 
know  whether  he  is  admired  and  applauded,  than  whether 
he  has  prevailed  for  the  awakening  and  conversion  of 
souls.  And  so  powerful  is  this  principle  in  some,  that 
they  could  even  be  glad  in  their  heart  (were  it  not  for 
shame)  to  ask  their  hearers,  in  du-ect  terms,  whether  they 
like,  admire,  and  applaud  theii*  labors,  and  conceive  a 
good  opinion  of  them.  But  as  this  will  not  do,  self  will 
put  them  on  some  topic  of  conversation  with  their  hearers, 
that  will  tend,  if  possible,  to  draw  out  theu'  own  com- 
mendation ;  and  if  they  can  perceive  they  are  highly 
thought  of,  they  rejoice  greatly,  as  having  attained  their 
end.  Bat  if  they  find  they  are  esteemed  but  weak,  or  at 
best  but  common  preachers,  they  are  dejected  and  disap- 
pointed, as  having  missed  what  they  think  the  grand 
prize  of  the  day. 

And  hence  this  false,  self-seeking  heart,  can  be  very 
easy  and  contented  Avith  a  general  approbation  and  ap- 
plause, without  seeing  any  savmg  fruit  of  ministerial 
labor,  from  year  to  year.  Or  if  he  desire  success  in  the 
awakening  and  conversion  of  sinners,  yet  self  may  lie  at 
the  bottom  of  this  too :  and  though  it  may  Avork  differ- 
ently from  the  manner  above  described,  yet  it  may  ter- 
minate in  the  same  thing  in  the  final  issue.  Self  may 
make  such  as  these  strive  to  excel  in  appearances  of  real 
godliness,  and  in  zealous,  fervent,  j^ractical  iDreaching; 
yea,  it  may  dispose  them  to  desu-e  success,  to  afiect  and 
change  the  hearts  of  their  hearers,  and  they  may  calculate 
their  discourses  for  that  purpose,  and  yet  aim  ultimately 
at  themselves,  and  the  advancement  of  their  own  reputa- 
tion. What  can  be  more  agreeable  to  a  man  who  ulti- 
mately seeks  himself,  than  to  see  people  throng  around 
him,  and  crowd  in  multitudes  to  hear  him,  and  appear  to 
be  aifected  Avith  what  they  hear  ?  And  to  find  that  he  is 
able  to  command  their  attention,  and  move  their  j^assions 
and  afiections ;  and  what  more  pleasing  than  to  hear 
himself  cried  up  by  them,  as  the  most  able  and  godly 


CHAKACTER  AND  DUTY  OF  A  PKEACHEK.      11 

preacher  in  the  land,  and  famed  through  the  whole  coun- 
try as  a  man  of  the  highest  spiritual  excellencies,  and 
most  successful  lahor. 

I  mean  not  to  insinuate  that  men  of  such  mercenary 
and  corrupt  principles  are  likely  to  be  very  successful,  for 
though  it  is  jDossible  they  may  do  good,  and  God  may 
bless  what  means  he  pleases  ;  yet  it  seems  more  probable, 
that,  as  they  labor  not  for  God,  but  for  themselves,  he 
will  leave  them  to  themselves  for  the  success :  and  that 
their  labors  will  have  no  greater  blessing  than  them- 
selves are  able  to  give,  and  that  their  words,  how  pun- 
gent soever,  will  reach  no  farther  than  their  own 
strength  is  able  to  make  them.  But  what  I  have  as- 
serted, is,  that  self  may  make  men  desire  success,  so  far 
as  it  may  tend  to  the  advancement  of  their  reputation. 
Again, 

Sometimes  this  selfish  disposition  will  work  up  envious 
and  bitter  thoughts  against  all  those  who  they  imagine 
stand  in  their  light,  or  by  out-shining  them,  eclipse  their 
glory,  and  hinder  the  progress  of  theii-  idoHzed  reputa- 
tion. Hence  they  are  inwardly  vexed  and  mortified, 
when  a  preference  is  given  to  the  names  and  parts  of 
their  brethren,  as  if  all  the  praise  given  to  others  was  in- 
juriously taken  from  them,  and  that  they  themselves  were 
not  so  particularly  noticed,  respected,  and  esteemed  as 
their  partial  selfish  judgment  imagines  they  ought  to  be. 
And  this  often  lays  a  foundation  for  jealousy,  suspicion, 
and  alienation,  as  if  they  were  carrying  on  two  diiferent 
and  contrary  interests.  It  is  this  also,  that  makes  some 
so  tenacious  of  their  own  opinions,  that  they  almost  claim 
infallibility,  and  are  ever  impatient  of  contradiction  or 
control.  They  esteem  and  value  the  man  that  will  say  as 
they  say,  and  be  of  their  opinion,  and  promote  their  repu- 
tation ;  but  he  who  will  dare  to  difier  from,  or  contradict 
them,  is  not  to  be  borne  Avith,  O,  su'S  !  it  is  impossible 
to  trace  out  all  the  corrupt  workings  of  this  detestable 
and  pernicious  principle,  or  to  mention  the  innumerable 
mischiefs  it  has  occasioned  in  the  Church  of  God,  It  was 
this  that  raised  anti-christ,  by  several  gradual  and  pro- 
gressive steps,  to  his  present  tyrannical  dignity.  It  was 
this  that  enkindled  the  flames  of  persecution,  in  the  sev- 


12      CHABACTER  AND  DUTY  OF  A  PREACHER. 

eral  periods  of  the  Christian  Church,  and  stained  the  earth 
"with  the  crimson  gore  of  human  blood ;  and  it  is  thi.^^ 
disturbs  and  rends  Christian  societies,  and  divides  them 
into  different  interests,  and  different  parties,  and  fills 
them  with  bitterness  against  one  another.  "  Oh !  may  the 
Lord  in  mercy  dehver  us  from  ourselves,  as  our  worst 
enemy,  and  from  the  power  and  dominion  of  selfishness, 
as  the  sorest  plague  that  can  befall  us  on  this  side  hell !" 

But  I  have  dwelt  too  long  on  this  disagreeable  subject, 
and  shall  therefore  pass  to  the 

Third  general  head,  which  was  to  show, 

m.  What  it  is  to  preach  Christ.  "  We  preach  not 
ourselves,  but  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord."  All  this  also 
must  be  considered  both  materially,  and  formally,  or  as  it 
respects  the  subject  matter,  and  the  formal  manner  of  our 
preacliing." 

1st,  As  it  respects  the  matter  ;  it  includes,  in  general, 
the  whole  sura  of  Gospel  doctrine,  relating  to  man's  sal- 
vation by  Jesus  Christ ;  the  original  contrivance,  the 
mei'itorious  irapetration,  and  actual  application  of  it, 
through  his  blood  and  Spirit ;  the  fall  of  man,  "  by  one 
man's  disobedience,"  and  the  guilt  and  ruin  of  a  fallen 
state  necessarily  supposed ;  the  original  purpose  of  God's 
love  and  grace,  that  issued  in  the  gift  of  his  dear  Son,  the 
glory  of  his  person  as  God,  the  eternal  relation  he  sus- 
tained to  the  father,  his  substitution  as  a  surety,  and 
designation  to  the  office  of  Mediator,  his  voluntary  con- 
tract in  the  covenant  of  redemption,  which  made  way  for 
his  mysterious  incarnation,  his  holy  life,  his  meritorious? 
and  cruel  death,  his  powerful  resurrection,  triumphant 
ascension,  and  perpetual  prevailing  intercession  ;  the  com- 
plete atonement  he  made,  and  the  everlasting  righteous- 
ness he  hath  brought  in  ;  together  vnth  the  various  ofiices 
he  sustained,  both  in  his  state  of  humiliation  and  exalta- 
tion :  The  methods  of  divine  operation,  in  the  work  of 
effectual  calling,  the  nature  and  use  of  divine  faith,  to 
apply  his  blood  and  righteousness  ;  the  blessings  conse- 
quent on  believing,  justification,  adoption,  sanctification, 
perseverance  in  grace,  and  consummation  in  glory,  perfec- 
tion of  holiness  at  death,  and  the  complete  happiness  of 
soul  and  body  at  the  resurrection,  in  the  full  enjojTnent 


CHARACTER    AND    DUTY    OF    A    PREACHER.  13 

of  God  to  all  eternity.  These,  and  all  other  Gospel 
truths,  supposed  by  them,  included  in  them,  and  conse- 
quent upon  them,  relating-  to  Jesus  Christ,  are  to  be  the 
subject  matter  of  our  preaching;  aU  which  are  summarily 
comprehended  in  the  three  characters  mentioned  in  the 
text,  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord;  Christ  the  Messiah,  the 
annointed  of  God,  qualified  for,  and  set  apart  to^  the 
office  of  Mediator ;  Jesus  the  Saviour  of  men,  who  saves 
his  people  from  theu'  sins,  both  from  the  guilt  and  power, 
and  finally  from  the  jjunishment  of  tliem,  by  working  out 
for  them  a  righteousness  to  be  imputed ;  and  by  work- 
ing in  them  a  righteousness  implanted,  the  Lord,  the 
great  head  and  king  of  his  Church,  who  has  its  govern- 
ment on  his  shoulders,  and  to  "  whom  all  power  is  given 
in  heaven  and  upon  earth ;"  to  whom  all  homage  and 
obedience  are  due,  and  to  whom  is  committed,  as  a  j^er- 
son  every  way  qualified  and  worthy,  the  sole  manage- 
ment of  the  solemn  transactions  of  the  grand  and  final 
judgment. 

But  particularly,  1st,  To  preach  Christ,  is  to  hold  him 
forth,  not  merely  as  a  lawgiver,  to  be  obeyed  ;  but  chiefly 
as  a  law-fulfiller,  to  be  believed  in,  for  pardon,  righteous- 
ness, and  everlasting  life.  To  represent  him  to  poor  jjer- 
ishing  sinners  as  surety,  who  has  undertaken  in  their 
room  and  stead,  to  pay  the  debt  of  duty  and  of  penalty, 
for  which  divine  justice  has  them  under  an  arrest ;  to 
atone  for  the  crimes  for  which  they  are  under  sentence, 
and  work  out  for  them  a  complete  and  perfect  righteous- 
ness, answerable  to  the  strict  demands  of  his  unchang- 
able  law.  How  honorably  soever  we  may  speak  of  Jesus 
Christ  as  a  ruler  to  be  obeyed,  and  as  a  pattern  to  be 
unitated,  yet  if  we  do  not  exhibit  him  to  view  as  the 
great  law-fulfiller,  to  be  believed  in,  and  as  "  the  end  of 
the  law  for  righteousness,"  we  do  not  properly  preach 
Christ,  but  conceal  a  most  essential  branch  of  his  media- 
torial excellency.  It  is  the  grand  fmidamental  article  of 
the  religion  of  Christ,  and  the  ground  of  all  our  hopes, 
"that  he  suffered  for  us,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he 
might  bring  us  to  God  ;  that  he  not  only  died  for  our 
good,  (as  the  Socinians  say,  to  set  us  an  example  how  to 
suflTer  Math  patience  ;)  but  that  he  died  "  in  our  room  and 


14      CHARACTER  AND  DUTY  OF  A  PREACHER. 

stead,"  and  was  "  made  sin  for  us"  by  imputation,  that 
we  by  imputation  "  might  be  made  righteous  in  the  sight 
of  God  through  him." 

2dly,  To  preach  Christ,  is  to  exhibit  to  view  his  infinite 
divine  fullness,  and  the  freeness  of  his  unbounded  grace, 
his  almighty  power  to  save,  and  his  "u-illingness  to  exert 
that" power;  that  in  him  is  to  be  foimd  all  that  righteous- 
ness that  the  law  requires,  and  all  that  gi-ace  that  the 
Gospel  promises;  and,  in  short,  that  a  poor,  guilty,  helpless, 
sin-burdened,  and  law-condemned  sinner  can  possibly 
want ;  and  that  all  the  blessings  of  his  atonement,  are 
freely  oflered,  "  without  money  and  without  price." 

3dly,  To  preach  Christ,  is  to  make  him  the  grand  cen- 
tre of  all  the  variety  of  subjects  we  enter  upon,  in  the 
whole  credenda  and  agenda  of  religion.  If  we  treat  of 
the  nature  and  perfections  of  the  Deity,  we  are  to  consi-  • 
der  them  as  displayed  most  emmently  "in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ."  If  we  exhibit  to  view  the  divine  law,  in 
its  strictness  and  spirituality,  we  are  to  remember  Christ, 
"  as  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness."  If  we  de- 
nounce its  dreadful  "  curses  against  every  one  that  con- 
tinues not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to 
do  them ;"  it  is  that  "  the  law,  as  a  school-master,  may 
bring  them  to  Christ,  that  they  may  be  justified  by  faith." 
If  we  treat  of  Gospel  promises  and  Gospel  blessings,  we 
must  consider  them  as  purchased  by  the  blood,  and  dis- 
tributed by  the  bounty  and  grace  of  Christ.  If  we  dis- 
course upon  divine  faith,  Christ  must  be  considered  as 
"  the  author  and  finisher,"  as  well, as  the  direct  object  of 
it.  If  we  treat  of  repentance,  it  is  "  Christ  exalted  at 
the  right  hand  of  God"  that  must  give  it,  and  "  the  re- 
mission of  sins ;"  and  Christ  crucified,  and  viewed  by 
faith,  that  must  be  the  first  spring  of  it.  If  we  treat  of 
Gospel  obedience,  it  must  be  considered  as  the  genuine 
fruit  of  faith  in  Christ,  and  union  to  him  ;  springing  from 
"  constraining  love  to,"  and  performed  by  strength  and 
grace  derived  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  accepted 
altogether  on  account  of  the  merit  of  his  obedience  and 
death.  In  a  word,  Christ  must  be  considered  as  "  all  and 
in  all,  as  the  alpha  and  omega,  the  begmning  and  the 
end  ;"  the  fountain  from  which  all  is  derived  and  the 


CHAKACl'KU    AND    DLTV    OF    A    PJJEACHER,  15 

centre  in  which  all  must  terminate ;  his  righteousness  is 
all  in  justification,  his  Spirit  and  grace  all  in  sanctifica- 
tion,  and  the  enjoyment  of  him  all  in  glorification.  This 
is  to  preach  Christ,  as  to  the  matter  of  our  preaching. 
And  then, 

II.  As  to  the  foi*mal  manner,  it  implies,  that  we  aim 
at  the  honor  and  glory  of  Christ,  and  the  advancement 
of  his  interest,  as  our  ultimate  and  final  end.  This  is 
doubtless  the  principal  thing  intended,  in  opposition  to 
those  mercenary  views  and  selfish  aims  that  were  men- 
tioned before.  Men  may  speak  much  about  Jesus  Christ 
in  their  sermons,  and  yet  not  properly  preach  Christ : 
yea,  they  may  preach  Christ  too,  as  to  the  matter  of  their 
preaching,  in  all  the  instances  above  described,  and  yet 
not  do  it  for  Christ,  but  for  themselves.  And  thus  they 
make  Christ  himself,  and  the  precious  doctrines  of  the 
Gospel,  only  subservient  to  the  advancement  of  the  grand 
idol,  Self.  To  preach  Christ,  then,  is  to  make  his  honor 
and  interest  the  centre  of  all  our  labor  and  industry ;  the 
mark  on  which  we  fix  our  eye,  and  toward  which  we 
endeavor  to  steer  in  all  our  private  studies  and  public 
administrations,  and  in  every  instance  of  our  ministerial 
conduct.  Our  business  is  to  commend  Christ,  and  not 
ourselves ;  to  wdn  the  hearts  of  men  to  him,  and  not  to 
oui'selves ;  and  attach  them  to  his  mterest  rather  than 
our  own.  And  as  this  must  be  the  ultimate,  proposed 
end,  so  those  means  must  be  chosen  that  have  the  most 
natural  tendency  to  accomplish  it  ?  even  such  methods 
and  manner  of  address  as  will  tend  to  pierce  the  obdu- 
rate hearts,  and  wound  the  stupid  consciences  of  sleepy, 
secure  sinners,  by  making  them  feel  the  ruin  of  their 
fallen  state,  their  guilt  and  condemnation  by  the  law, 
and  the  absolute  impossibility  of  obtaining  a  personal 
legal  righteousness ;  that  they  may  effectually  see  their 
need  of  Christ,  both  as  a  surety  to  pay  theu'  law-debt, 
and  as  a  "  fountain  to  wash  in  from  sin  and  from  imclean- 
ness." 

The  rich  and  unbounded  treasures  of  Gospel  grace,  are 
also  to  be  laid  open,  and  Gospel  invitations  to  be  exhibited 
in  their  free  and  indefinite  terms,  urged  with  the  most 
powerful  motives  and  persuasive  arguments  that  can  be 


16  CHAKACTTER   AND   DUTi'   OF   A   PKEACHEE. 

clra\^Ti  from  love  or  from  "wrath,  from  heaven  or  from 
hell ;  and  from  all  the  glorious  and  dreadful  thmgs  of  an 
unseen  and  eternal  world. 

Let  me  now  endeavor  to  improve  this  subject  by  an 
inference  or  two  from  each  of  the  principal  foregoing 
heads ;  and  then  conclude  with  a  particular  apphcation. 
And, 

1st,  If  ministers  are  not  to  preach,  or  to  seek  them- 
selves, in  the  execution  of  the  sacred  office,  then  none 
can  ever  discharge  this  important  trust  acceptably  in  the 
sight  of  God  who  are  under  the  reigning  dominion  of 
mercenary  and  selfish  jirinciples.  I  have  observed  before, 
that  when  man  fell  from  God  by  original  apostasy,  he  re- 
tired as  it  were  into  himself,  and  is  ever  since  disposed 
supremely  to  love,  and  ultimately  to  seek  himself,  as  his 
last  and  final  end.  Selfishness,  then,  in  one  shape  or 
another,  is  now  the  reigning,  active  principle  in  fallen  na- 
ture, and  has  the  entire  dominion  in  every  heart  that  is 
unrenewed  and  unsanctified;  as,  therefore,  unsanctified 
men  have  no  governing  principle  but  self,  and  can  act 
from  no  higher  principles  than  they  have,  how  can  they 
be  quaUfied  for  a  faithful  discharge  of  that  work  which 
requires  so  much  self-renunciation '?  If  such  as  these  un- 
dertake the  ministry,  their  views  must  be  altogether  sel- 
fish :  they  study,  pray,  and  preach  for  themselves,  and 
make  themselves  the  grand  centre  of  all  they  think,  and 
speak,  and  do !  "  Seeking  their  ovm  things,"  and  not  the 
thmgs  of  Christ  Jesus  ;  preferring  their  honor  to  his 
honor,  and  their  interest  to  his  interest ;  and,  therefore, 
they  are  guilty  of  idolatry,  by  setting  themselves  upper- 
most in  their  estimation,  affections,  designs,  and  pursuits. 
And  if  I  should  grant  that  such  as  these  may  be  useful 
in  the  ministry,  yet  surely  the  undertaldng  will  be  aw- 
fully hazardous  to  the  souls  committed  to  their  charge, 
and  the  consequence  extremely  dreadful  to  themselves, 
for,  "  when  they  have  preached  to  others,  themselves 
will  be  finally  rejected  and  cast  a^ray." 

2dly,  If  the  business  of  Gospel  ministers  is  to  preach 
Christ,  hence  see  the  honor  and  dignity  of  their  office. 
No  other  than  a  glorious  Christ,  the  anointed  of  God, 
the  darling  of  heaven,  and  the  beloved  of  angels  and 


CHARACTJER    AND    DUTY    OF    A   PEEACHEK.  17 

saints,  is  the  subject  of  their  ministry ;  fi'oni  him  their 
authority  and  coramissiou  is  derived,  in  his  valuable  in- 
terest they  are  engaged  to  speak,  as  "  ambassadors  in  his 
name  and  stead."  Their  office  is,  therefore,  honorable  in 
some  proportion  to  the  dignity  of  the  sovereign  from 
whom  they  receive  commission  ;  the  grandeur  of  the 
court  in  whose  interest  they  are  employed  as  ambassadors, 
and  the  important  errand  they  have  to  transact  with 
guUty  men.  And  as  they  are  engaged  for  Christ,  and 
employed  by  him  to  act  as  ambassadors  in  his  name,  he 
has  declared  that  he  will  regard  the  treatment  they  meet 
with  as  if  done  to  himself:  "He  that  receiveth  you,  says 
he,  receiveth  me  ;  and  he  that  despiseth  you,  despiseth 
me,  and  Him  that  sent  me."  Were  we  acting  a  part  for 
ourselves,  and  speaking  in  our  own  name,  and  driving  on 
our  own  self-interests,  men  might  treat  us  as  they  pleased  ; 
but  if  we  act  as  ambassadors  for  Christ,  in  pursuit  of  his 
interest,  and  in  his  name  and  stead,  let  them  take  heed 
how  they  despise  the  sacred  character  we  sustain,  or 
neglect  the  solemn  messages  we  bring.  But  I  must  not 
dwell  on  these  inferences,  the  time  being  far  elapsed. 

Permit  me,  therefore,  now,  with  all  humility,  to  ad- 
dress myself  particiilarly  to  the  venerable  members  of 
this  Synod,  with  all  others  of  the  sacred  character  here 
present. 

My  reverend  fathers  and  dear  brethren  : 

The  subject  I  have  now  been  handling  will  necessarily 
lead  me  to  great  freedom  and  plainness  of  speech,  yet  I 
will  not  entertain  so  dishonorable  a  thought  of  any  of 
you,  as  to  imagine  an  apology  necessary :  nor  will  I  doubt 
your  candid  acceptance  of  what  shall  now  be  said,  though 
by  one  of  the  meanest  of  the  sacred  character,  who  would 
gladly  sit  at  your  feet  and  learn,  and  who  is  "wiUing  to 
stand  corrected  or  reproved  by  you. 

Let  what  we  have  heard, 

1.  Lead  us  into  oiir  own  hearts,  to  examine  in  the  pre- 
sence of  an  all-seeing  God,  whether  we  have  not  too 
much  of  this  abominable  selfish  principle  still  lurking 
within  us,  and  too  little  singleness  of  heart  for  God  and 
Jesus  Christ.  Do  we  never  shrink  into  diffidence  and 
neglect  in  cases  of  duty,  through  the  power  and  preva- 


18  CIIAUACTER    AND    DUTY    OV    A    PREACHER. 

lence  of  that  soothing  temptation,  Spare  thyself?  Do 
we  never  find  this  detestable  enemy  strive  to  encroach  on 
the  rights  of  the  Godhead,  and  assume  the  honor  and 
regard  that  is  due  to  Jesus  alone  ?  Does  it  never  creej) 
into  our  studies,  and  seek  to  have  a  hand  in  our  prepara- 
tions for  the  sanctuary  of  the  Lord,  and  dispose  us  to 
consult  how  to  please,  rather  than  how  to  j^rofit ;  and 
how  our  own  interest  may  be  secured  in  the  esteem 
and  affections  of  our  hearers,  rather  than  how  the  in- 
terest and  kingdom  of  Christ  may  be  advanced  ?  And 
when  we  enter  the  sacred  desk,  with  a  message  from 
heaven  to  guilty  men,  are  we  never  too  thoughtful  of  the 
notices  and  observations  of  our  poor  fellow  mortals  round 
about  us,  and  too  httle  sensible  of  the  all-seeing  eye  of 
Jehovah  upon  us,  and  the  vast  and  inexpressible  weight 
of  the  errand  on  which  we  come  ?  Are  we  never  too 
soUcitous  about  mere  external  appearances  that  attend 
our  deliA^ery,  and  too  little  so  about  the  spiritual  frame 
of  our  hearts  in  the  sight  of  God  ?  Are  we  never 
tempted  by  this  pernicious  principle  to  play  the  hypo- 
crite before  our  hearers,  with  a  greater  show  of  zeal,  and 
fervor,  and  devotion  than  is  answerable  to  the  inward 
state  and  frame  of  our  minds  ?  If  at  any  tune  we  find 
ourselves  dead  and  barren,  and  have  but  little  clearness 
or  freedom,  we  are  dejected ;  our  hearts  are  depressed 
and  sunk  within  us  :  but  from  whence  is  this  dejection  ? 
Is  it  because  we  have  done  so  poorly  for  God,  and  been 
so  miserably  deficient  in  his  service  ?  Or  only  because 
we  have  made  so  indifferent  a  figure  in  the  eyes  of  our 
fellow  men  ?  On  the  other  hand;  when  we  find  some  en- 
largement and  freedom,  a  readiness  of  thought,  and 
fluency  of  expression,  and  feel  some  suitable  degree  of 
zeal  and  fervor,  does  a  selfish,  deceitful  heart  never 
prompt  us  to  a  sort  of  self-complacency,  and  deUght  in 
ourselves  ?  And  if  we  are  pleased  that  God  has  enabled 
us,  in  any  measure,  to  be  fiuthful,  yet,  are  we  never  too 
much  elated  with  the  approbation  and  applause  of  those 
that  have  heard  us  ? 

And  when  our  public  performances  are  ended,  what  is 
the  object  of  our  greatest  solicitude  ?  Whether  sinners 
are  awakened  and  won  to  Christ,  or  whether  we  our- 


CHARACTER  AND  DUTY  OF  A  PREACHER.       19 

selves  are  held  in  high  esteem?  "VVhethei*  tlie  word 
preached  has  gained  their  hearts  for  God,  or  whether  it 
has  gained  for  us  their  pleasing  approbation  ?  And  does 
this  selfish  principle  never  direct  or  influence  our  conduct 
among  the  people  of  our  charge  ?  Are  we  not  often  best 
pleased  with  the  company  and  society  of  those  who  (per- 
haps too  partial  in  our  favor)  may  gratify  our  A^anity  wath 
their  professions  and  tokens  of  esteem  and  friendshi])  ? 
And  do  we  not,  from  the  same  principle,  shun,  or  too 
much  neglect,  those  who  appear  less  friendly,  though  they 
need  our  mstruction  and  advice  as  much  as  others  ?  Do 
we  not  too  much  neglect  the  duties  of  private  and  parti- 
cular applications,  for  fear  of  offending ;  and  yet  frame 
excuses  for  our  neglects,  that  have  too  much  selfishness 
in  them  ?  In  a  word,  what  did  we  undertake  the  minis- 
try for  ?  "What  do  we  study,  preach,  and  pray,  live,  and 
labor  for  ?  It  is  ultimately  for  God  or  for  ourselves  ?  I 
beseech  you,  reverend  and  dear  sirs,  bear  with  this  plain- 
ness and  freedom,  and  let  me  not  be  looked  upon  in  the 
light  of  an  arrogant  accuser ;  far  be  it  from  me  to  lay  any 
of  these  things  to  your  charge,  or  to  harbor  a  doubt  of 
your  disinterested  zeal  for  God,  and  victory  over  self. 
"  There  is  but  one  heart  ainong  us  that  I  have  reason  to 
suspect,"  and  over  that  I  find  it  necessary  to  keep  a  con- 
tinual watch  and  guard :  and  oh !  how  many  are  the  secret 
windings  and  turnings,  and  different  shapes  and  appear- 
ances of  this  pernicious  adversary,  self!  How  often  does 
it  beset  us,  when  and  where  we  have  little  expected  it, 
and  give  us  occasion  to  lament  and  say,  "  Hast  thou  found 
me,  O  mine  enemy  ?"  If  we  find  then,  on  the  above- 
mentioned  inquiiy,  that  our  self-denial  and  deadness  to 
ourselves  is  yet  very  imperfect.     Let  us  in  the 

Second  place.  Bitterly  bewail  it  before  God,  with  the 
deepest  humiliation.  For  what  can  be  more  detestable, 
or  carry  a  greater  malignity  in  its  very  nature,  than  that 
disposition  that  would  exalt  self  in  the  place  of  God  and 
Jesus  Christ,  and  as  it  were  contend  with  him  for  the 
preference,  and  dispute  the  point  with  him  who  shall  be 
most  loved  and  regarded  by  us,  he  or  we  ;  and  whose 
honor  and  mterest  shall  be  primarily  pursued,  his  or  our 
own  ?     And  how  inconsistent  is  this  selfishness  with  that 


20       CHARACTER  AND  DUTY  OF  A  PREACHER. 

lesson  of  self-denial  that  we  are  obliged  to  preach  to 
others,  and  which  Jesus  has  taught  us,  both  by  precept 
and  example.  Nay,  with  what,  force  can  we  recommend 
self-denial  to  others,  wliile  we  are  selfish,  or  how  can  ^ye 
reprove  or  condemn  the  sin  in  others  that  we  harbor  too 
much  in  ourselves.  We  tell  the  drunkard,  the  swearer,  the 
profane  sinner,  that  "  except  he  be  converted  and  changed 
he  can  not  be  saved ;  and  is  it  not  as  true  of  us,  that  we 
can  not  be  the  true  disciples,  or  faithful  ministers  of  Christ, 
except  we  deny  ourselves."  Does  not  our  Lord  himself 
lay  this  down  as  the  grand  criterion  by  which  he  submits 
his  own  doctrine  and  mission  to  trial,  whether  it  was  of 
God  or  whether  he  spake  of  himself  "  He  that  speaketh 
of  himself,"  says  he,  "  se'eketh  his  own  glory :  but  he  that 
seeketh  the  glory  of  him  that  sent  him,  the  same  is  true." 
I  make  no  doubt,  sirs,  but  selfishness  in  its  reigning  do- 
minion, is  a  greater  sin  than  drunkenness  or  whoredom. 
The  one  dishonors  God  by  breaking  his  law ;  but  the 
other  strikes  at  the  very  relation  of  sovereign  and  sub- 
ject, and  contends  with  him,  as  it  were,  for  the  rights  of 
Godhead,  and  insists  on  being  above  him  in  the  estima- 
tion, affections,  intentions,  and  pursuits.  Now,  "  it  is  one 
thing  to  break  some  particular  laws  of  a  prince,  and 
another  to  set  up  to  be  above  him,  or  to  exalt  a  rival  in 
his  room  and  stead  ;"  the  first  indeed  is  transgression,  but 
the  other  is  downright  treason  and  rebellion,  and  there- 
fore the  most  heinous.  And  indeed  whatever  we  do  in 
religion,  and  how  good  soever  it  be,  as  to  the  matter  or 
thing  done,  yet  if  self  is  the  reigning  principle,  it  tarnishes, 
corrupts,  and  debases  all.  And  as  it  is  the  very  essence 
of  holiness  to  live  to  God,  and  act  entirely  for  him,  so  it 
is  horrible  wickedness,  in  the  very  nature  of  it,  to  Uve  to 
ourselves,  and  act  ultimately  for  ourselves.  If,  therefore, 
we  find  the  remains,  or  secret  workings  of  so  corrupt  and 
detestable  a  principle,  let  us  mourn  and  be  humbled  be- 
fore God,  and  repair  by  faith  to  Him  who  once  died, 
"  That  they  which  live  should  not  live  to  themselves,  but 
to  Him  who  died  for  them,  and  rose  agam."  Let  us,  in 
the  third  place, 

Ever  be  watchful  against  this  enemy  of  God  and  our 
souls,  and  endeavor  to  suppress  the  first  risings  of  it. 


CHARACTER  AND  DUTY  OF  A  PREACHER.       21 

Let  us  ever  remember,  "  we  are  not  our  own,"  and  there- 
fore have  no  business  to  Hve  to  ourselves,  or  regard  our 
interest  or  reputation,  any  further  than  the  honor  of 
Christ,  and  the  interest  of  religion  is  concerned.  If  God 
has  made  us,  if  Christ  has  redeemed  us,  if  in  our  ordina- 
tion vows  we  have  solemnly  given  up  ourselves  and  our 
all  to  him,  then  certainly  we  are  not  our  own  ;  and  there- 
fore to  appropriate  our  time  and  talents  to  our  own  in- 
terests and  reputation  is  a  sacrilegious  robbing  of  God. 

Further,  let  us  guard  against  that  fear  of  man  that 
selfishness  would  prompt  us  to,  and  which  would  make 
us  too  fond  to  please,  and  too  fearful  to  displease  ;  for  if 
we  thus  seek  to  please  man,  and  by  that  means  to  ad- 
vance ourselves,  we  can  not  be  the  faithful  "  servants  of 
Jesus  Christ."  And  yet,  such  are  the  perverse  tempers 
of  many  we  have  to  deal  with,  that  we  are  often  reduced 
to  an  unhappy  dilemma,  and  must  either  offend  God  or 
offend  them.  Poor  guilty  mortals  love  to  be  soothed  and 
flattered,  but  do  not  love  to  be  plamly  dealt  with  ;  hence, 
such  pointed  addresses  as  tend  to  discover  them  to  them- 
selves often  excite  their  resentment.  Thus,  when  our 
Lord  was  representing  to  his  hearers,  by  several  parables, 
the  awful  destrviction  that  would  shortly  come  upon  the 
final  rejectors  of  the  Gospel  Saviour,  and  the  Gospel  sal- 
vation, it  is  said  :  "  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  per- 
ceived that  he  spake  of  them."  A  heinous  business  in- 
deed !  as  if  it  was  intolerable  insolence  for  him  to  speak 
of  them.  It  is  true,  they  perceived  right,  he  did  speak 
of  them,  and  all  others  like  them ;  and  what  then  ? 
"Why,  they  are  exasperated,  and  would  have  laid  hands 
on  him,  and  treated  him  in  a  manner  they  thought  he  de- 
served, had  it  not  been  that  they  feared  the  multitude. 
And  when  this  is  the  case,  that  we  must  either  offend 
God  or  men ;  whose  disjileasure  shall  we  most  regard  ? 
If  carnal  self  is  consulted,  it  will  inflvience  us  to  displease 
God,  and  to  sooth  and  flatter  our  fellow-men.  But  alas ! 
should  we  make  such  an  a^vful  sacrifice  to  their  corrupt 
humors,  will  they  undertake  to  answer  it  for  us  ?  Will 
they  defend  us  from  the  displeasure  of  Jehovah,  when  he 
shall  send  for  us  by  death,  or  sentence  us  to  hell  by  his 
righteous  judgment  ?     No,  they  dare  not  attempt  this, 


22  CHARACTER   AND   DUTY    OF    A    PREACHER. 

nor  dare  we  trust  them  in  this  matter,  "We  have  one 
God,  and  one  Master  to  please,  and  he  must  be  obeyed, 
whether  men  hke  or  dislike.  Our  errand  to  them  is  on 
matter  of  life  and  death,  the  vast  importance  of  which 
must  engage  all  the  powers  of  our  soids.  Poor  Christless 
sinners  are  not  in  a  state  to  be  soothed  and  flattered,  or 
jested  and  trifled  with  ;  heaven  and  hell  are  not  matters 
to  be  talked  of  in  a  careless  indolent  strain ;  it  is  plain 
dealing  such  want,  however  they  may  take  it ;  such  as 
will  tend  to  make  them  feel  their  wretched,  miserable 
state,  and  awaken  their  solicitude  for  dehverance. 

Again,  our  business  is  to  preach  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord, 
and  exhibit  him  to  view  in  his  j^ersonal  glory  and  divine 
fulness  as  the  law-fultiller  and  Sa\dour  of  sumers  ;  to  urge 
them  compassionately  to  come  to  him  that  they  might 
have  life,  and  on  their  final  refusal,  to  denounce  against 
them  the  terrors  of  eternal  death.  And  besides  the  in- 
expressible importance  of  these  things,  every  considera- 
tion from  the  j)resent  pro\ddences  of  God  suggests  an 
awakening  call  to  the  utmost  diligence  and  painful  indus- 
try. The  God  of  heaven  is  now  thimdering  an  alarm  on 
every  side,  our  country  is  groaning  imder  ravages  and 
devastations,  and  all  the  frightful  calamities  of  war  and 
blood !  The  enemies  of  Zion  are  forming  a  confederacy, 
and  saying :  "  Let  us  raze  it,  let  us  raze  it  to  the  founda- 
tion." And  who  can  tell  how  soon  our  churches  may  be 
demoUshed  and  beaten  into  rubbish,  and  we  ourselves 
called  to  prison  and  to  death  ?  And  what,  in  the  name 
of  God,  shall  we  do  in  a  day  of-  suffering,  if  Ave  have  not 
learned  to  deny  ourselves,  and  account  our  honor,  interest, 
and  even  life  itself,  nothing  in  comparison  of  the  interest 
and  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ  ?  Or  should  God  in  mercy 
yet  spare  his  Church  from  the  ravages  of  Popish  and  Pagan 
adversaries,  yet  as  to  us,  we  know  our  time  is  short,  and 
"  the  night  of  death  will  soon  come  when  no  man  can 
Avork,"  We  live  in  a  dying  world,  and  dwell  in  regions 
of  mortality,  and  have  lately  had  frequent  and  aAvful 
notices  of  the  uncertain  tenure  of  human  life. 

The  last  year  in  particular,  with  respect  to  ministers 
may  very  properly  be  called  the  dying  year,  in  which 
the  God  of  heaven  has  smitten  his  Church  in  these  parts. 


CHAEACTER   AND   DUTY   OF   A  PREACHER,  23 

mth  repeated  strokes  of  sore  bereavement  in  a  close  and 
awful  succession  !  Scarce  had  we  time  to  dry  our  weep- 
ing eyes  for  the  loss  of  one  of  eminent  character  and 
usefulness,*  but  the  streams  of  grief  were  called  to  flow 
down  afresh  for  the  loss  of  another,f  whose  zeal  for  God 
and  the  conversion  of  souls,  was  scarce  to  be  paralleled. 
And  yet  for  all  this,  the  anger  of  Jehovah  was  not  turned 
away,  but  his  hand  was  soon  lifted  up  again,  and  with  a 
dreadful  aitn,  and  resistless  stroke,  has  bi-ought  down  to 
the  dust,  perhaps  the  greatest  pillar  in  this  part  of  Zion's 
buildings.^  Oh !  how  does  the  whole  fabric  shake  and 
totter  !  And  what  a  gloomy  aspect  do  these  providences 
wear  ?  as  if  God,  by  calling  home  his  ambassadors,  was 
about  to  quit  the  affiair  of  negotiating  peace  with  man- 
kind any  more. 

Shall  not  'we,  then,  who  survive,  double  and  redouble 
our  diligence,  knowing  our  time  is  short,  and  in  propor- 
tion to  the  decrease  of  laborers,  the  work  increases  upon 
our  hands.  O  sirs !  are  heaven  and  hell  glorious  and 
dreadful  realities  ?  are  shiners  despising  the  one  and 
sleeping  over  the  mouth  of  the  other,  and  are  we  sent 
from  God  to  awaken  them,  and  show  them  their  danger  ? 
sent  to  offer  them  a  Saviour  and  invite  them  to  fly  from 
the  wrath  to  come  to  his  atoning  blood,  why  then,  oh ! 
why  do  not  these  important  reahties  swallow  up  our 
whole  attention  ?  Why  do  not  we  make  more  haste  in 
plucking  sinners  as  brands  from  everlasting  burning? 
Why  do  not  we  pray  more  fervently,  and  preach  more 
zealously,  and  lay  out  our  whole  life,  and  soul,  and 
strength  in  this  great  work  ?  What !  is  the  interest  and 
happiness  of  deathless  immortal  souls  worth  no  more 
pains  ?  Can  we  do  no  more  for  the  honor  and  interest 
of  our  glorious  Master  than  this  comes  to  ?  Shall  the 
men  of  this  world  be  more  painful  and  industrious  in 
seeking  themselves,  than  we  in  seeking  the  gloiy  of  Christ, 
and  the  salvation  of  souls  ?     God  forbid !     We  are  on 

*  The  Rev.  Mr.  Aaron  Buit,  President  of  the  College. 

f  The  Eev.  Mr.  James  Davenport,  Minister  at  Hopewell,  both  of 
Xcw-Jersey. 

X  The  Rev.  Jonathan  Edwards,  President  of  the  College  of  New- 
Jersey. 


24       CHAKACTEE  AND  DUTY  OF  A  PKEACHEK 

matters  of  life  and  death.  We  pray,  and  preach,  and  labor 
for  eternity.  Sure  it  becomes  us  then  to  do  it  with  all  our 
mio-ht.  Shall  we  not  be  solemn  and  serious,  when  so  near 
that  state  and  place  where  all  are  serious '?  Beheve  it, 
sirs,  there  is  no  trifling  m  the  eternal  world ;  there  are 
none  hi  jest,  either  in  heaven  or  hell.  God  forbid,  then, 
that  we  should  jest  and  trifle  with  immortal^  souls,  that 
are  just  at  the  door  and  upon  the  borders  of  an  eternal 
state ! 


i 


DATE  DUE 

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GAYLORD 

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